Feeding mechanism for gas-producers.



ACIW. L'uxwlv'ns. y `FEED'IN-G .MECH'ANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

.APPLICATION .FILED MARulO'. 1916.

2 1w, TJ d e t H am t n@ P lll/ll ait) CHARLES W, LUIVIMIS, OF W.

STER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR '10 MORGAN CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER'. MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GAS-PRODUCERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, fmt.

Appiieation ined March 1o, 191e. serii No. 33,396.

To all u-zom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES XV. Lunnis, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVOi'ce-ster, in the county of lVorcester and oinmoiiwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Feeding Mechanism for Gas-'Producers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention relates` to feeding mechanism for gas producers, and has particular reference to a mechanism of the. above type for mechanically supplying fuel to a producer by the introduction of successive intermittent charges, the mechanism being adjustable to vary the rate at which the charges are introduced and also to vary the size of said charges, in accordance with the rateI of consumption of fuel within the producer.l

The mechanism belongs in general to that type of feeder set forth and described in in v copending companion applications Serial No. 36,626, filedilune 28, 1915, and Serial No. 55,551, filed October 1Q, 1915. the .same providing a movable fuel receptacle adapted in one position. to receive acharge of fuel from a chute, hopper, or other source of supply, and subsequently to deliver such charge into the combustion chamber of the producer, The devices of said copending applications are characterized by the provision of a cradle or seat in which the fuel receptacle rotates, said sea-t having a surface which is effective with respect to not more than one half the circumference of said ieceptacle. The present invention differs from the feeders of saidfcopending applications,

however, in the provision of a construction Y.

which avoids the necessity for limiting` the circumferential extent of the effective seating surface of the receptacle, and yet, at the same time, permits the necessary freedom of movement for said receptacle so that the danger of sticking or binding when the .recept-acle expands or becomes coated with tar on its surface, is avoided.

The essential features of the present invention are fully set forth in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional view of a gas producer, equipped with fuel feeding means constructed according to this invention.

Fig. :2 is a cross sectional view of the feed- .heilig preferably water cooled and havin an opening 3 in its top for the entrance o fuel. The opening 3 communicates with the interior of a hollow water cooled shell Il, superposed upon the top of the producer and providing for the support of the fuei feeding mechanism which forms the subject matter ofy this invention.

The said fuel feeding mechanism consists of an open ended casting or cradle 5 providing a concave seat G, from which opens downwardly a passage '7 communicating through'the shell vi and opening 3 with the combustion chamber 1. Bolted to each flanged end of the cradle' 5 isna plate 8, the said plates S providing inciined recesses 9 for the reception of adjustable bearing vblocks 10, which are supported upon setsci'ews 11, as shown in Fig- 4:.

The bearing blocks vl0, 10 afford journals for trunnioiis 14, 1st which project from the ends of a cylindrical drum or receptacle 15. The latter is adapted to rotate in the aconcave seat G, between the end plates 8, 8. shown clearly in Fig. 2, the rigid portion of the concave seat 6 embraces considerably less than one half of the circumference of the drum 15, said rigid yportion providing a sealing edge 16 above the axis of rotation .of the drum on one side of the passage 7 and said rigid portion on the other side o 'the )assaoe 7 terminatino' in a recessed ed've C b D 17, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

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This limitation on the circumferential extent of the rigid seating surface 6 leaves thedruin free to move away from said seating surface during its rotation, since the'crle 5- does not extend far enough around the -drum for the parts ever to bind. 1n other words, all danger of the drumlfsticknrg or binding in the cradle, by expansion or other-- Movement from said rigid seating surface4 is limited by means of adjustable set screws 13, 13 carried by plates 12, 12 which project. upwardly from the plates S, 8. These set screws 13, 13 are adapted to bear lightly .against the upper ends of the blocks 10, 10 When the drum is in operation. That is, the set screws 13, 13 are'set up loosely when the feeding mechanism is cold; after the producer is started, and the parts have heated up and expanded in the normal operation, these set screws allow the drum to assume a position for free rotative movement the fdle, while at the same time holding it properly to its work. In the event of undue or unusual heating and eX- pansion of the drum, the set screws 13, 13 may be still further slackened olf, will be readily understood.' In other words, these set screws perform by their adjustability, the'same function, in effect, as a yielding spring or a weight, except that in practice they afford a better means-of holding the drum to its work, and thus assist. in preventing any accumulation of tar or dirt on the contacting surfaces of the drum or cradle.

A fuel spout 18, leading from a hopper or other source of fuel supply, has suspended therefrom a trough or chute 19, the longitudinal axis of which may be inclined t-o the perpendicular, with its delivery end disposed adjacent the surface of the drum 15 immediately above the sealing edge 16 of the cradle. The flow of fuel from the spout 18 through the chute 19 against the wall of the drum 15 is controlled by a sliding gate 20, which is adjustable up and down to vary the distance of its lower end from the bottom of chute 19, and thereby to vary the effective fuel opening afforded by the delivery end of said chute. The adjustment of the gate 2G is determined. by the position of a transverse rod 21, removably carried within `an upturned portion of the gate, there being a series of vertically spaced holes in the side Walls of said chute to receive the ends of said rod. In this manner the area of the fuel resti-ng by gravity against the surface of the drum, to support the column of fuel contained Within the inclined chute 19 and spout 18, is varied.

The drum 15v has a longitudinal opening 23 in its Wall; the circumferential extent of lthis opening is slightly less than the circumferentia-l distance between the sealing edge 16 and the nearest edge of the passage `7. It will be obvious that this opening 23 must be ot' less width than the effective sealing surface of the seat 6 on opposite sides of the passage 7, since in the rotation of the drum, in the direction of the arrow, Fig. :2, communication between its interior and the interior of the producer must be completely closed before the leading edge of said opening arrives at the delivery end of the chute 19. In the same way, the rear edge :21 of said opening must. be sealed before the leading edge begins to uncover the passage 7, since otherwise there would be an escape of gas from the combustion chamber l.

To 'eifect this result, and at the same time to retain the advantage incident to the provision of a rigid seat G of limited circumferential extent, as herein shown, means are provided in the form of a segmental sealing plate 25 concentric with said seat and constitutinof an extension thereof beyondY the recessed edge 1T. The edge of the plate Q5 is seated in the recess of edge 1T, and preferably bears againstI a suitable packing material 2G held in the recess by a retainer 2T to prevent the escape ot gas past the joint thus formed. The plate 25 is yieldingly held4 against the surface of the drum l5 by means of a plurality of springs QS, which are carried upon outwardly projecting rods 29. Said rods 29 extend loosely through openings in a bar 30 which is attached to the plates S, S, the springs 25 being` thus confined between said bar and the plate 25 and exerting their force to hold .said plate at all times against the surface of the drum 15.

By the provision of this non-rigid extension of said seat (5, the sealing of the opening prior to the uncovering of passage T is effectively accomplished. At the same. time, notwithstanding the fact that the eti'ective sealing surface thus provided embraces more than one-halt' the circun'iference of the drum, the danger of sticking or binding when the drum expands or becomes coated with tar on its surface, is entirely avoided. Should such expansion occur, or should any force having a tendency to raise the drum from the bottom of seat (3 arise, the plate will yield a corresponding amount, and will. moreover, invariably seek a position adapted to maintain a substantially gas tight .seal with respect to the opening 23 of the drum. As herein shown, any movement of the drum away from seat G follows the inclination of the recesses 9, in order to prevent jamming against the rigid edge 16 of the cradle which. in the present instance, is above the Larnaca the use of scrapingdevices for removing tar and coal dust from the surface of the drum and to prevent, as far as possible, the access flanged disk 33, Fig. l, providing inner and of the ab.

port providing one'or more flexible sections,

outer peripheral surfaces for engagement by inner and outer friction shoes 34: and 35. Said shoes are caused to operatively engage the disk 33 by the oscillation of a bell crank 36, which is journaled loosely on the trunnion 14 and is actuated through a connectingv rod 37 having an ladjustable connection 38 with an eccentric 39.- Sa-id drum actuating mechanism, which preferably includes a yielding safety connection 4.0, whereby an undue resistance to the rot-ation of the drum renders the same inoperative, forms no part resent invent-ion and hence need not be specifically described.

While lI-have herein 'shown the provision af a single yielding member 25,: on one side only of the passage 7, it will be a parent that my invention contemplates theJ provision of more than one such member; obviously, the sealing surfaces on both sides of the passage 7 might be constituted in Whole or. in part by yielding sect-ions.v ltt will be :obvious also that, provided the rigid portionv of the cradle be effective over not more `than one-half the circumference of the drum,

fno restraint Will be imposed against the -movement ofthe drum away from its yseat by. said yielding section or sections, it being 'clear that expansionof the drum, or accumulations of tar or other foreign matter upon its` surface, cannot under these conditions ihinder its free rotative movement. .-llhe construction vhereln shown and described, Which contemplates a cradle or supavoids the necessity for the careful and accurate machining and the fitting of parts which is demanded by the use ofI a Wholly 'rigid c radle. Moreover, the nicety of ad justment required by feeders of this type, toobtain 'a substantially gas tight seal, is not essential in the present construction,

,since the yielding sections are in every re- 'spect self-adjusting.

ll claim, l. fn afuel feeding mechanism for gas lproducers, a rotatable charging member and a seating surface coperating with .said member to form a substantially gas tight seal against the escape of gas fromjthe producer chamber in.- every positionof lsaid member, said surface comprismg a section held yieldingl'y against saidv member, whereby free movement of said member away from the remainder of said .seating surface is permitted.

2. in a. fuel feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rotatable charging member and a seating surface cooperating with said member to form a substantially gas tight seal against the escape of gas from the producer chamber in every position of said member, said surface comprising a rigid sec tion and a yielding section, whereby free movement of said member away from said rigid section is permitted.

3. In a fuel feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rotatable charging member and "a seating surface cooperating with said member to form a substantially gas tight seal against the escape of gas from the producercbamber in every position of said member, said surface comprising a rigid section embracing not more than one half the circumference of said member, whereby free movement of said member away from said rigid section is permitted, and 'a section adapted to adjust itself to the position of said member. l

4. In a fuel feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rotatable charging member and a seating surface cooperating with said member to form a substantially gas tight4 seal against the escape of gas from the producer chamber ,in everyv position of said member, said surface comprising a rigid section, a yielding section, and a substantially gas tight joint bet-Ween said sections, said yielding section permitting free movement of said member away from said rigid section.

5. In a fuel feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rotatable charging memberhaving an opening, a supporting means for said member providing a concave seat ivith a passage to the producer chamber for registrat-ion With said opening, and a sealing surface on each side of said passage, one of said surfaces having a yielding section.-

whereby free movement of said member away from said seat is permitted.

6. in a fuel feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rota-table charging member having antopening, a supporting means for said member providing a concave seat. with a passage to the prdducer chamber for registration Wit-lisaid opening, said'seat embracing morethan half the circumference of said member,'and means for permitting radial movement of said member Within said seat.

7. lln a fuel feeding mechanism'for gas producers, a`rotat-able charging member haying an opening; a support-ing means'for said member providing a concave seat with a passage to the producer chamber for reglstration with said opening, said seat embracing more than half the circumference of said member and cooperating therewith to form a substantially gas tight seal against the escape of gas from the producer chamber in every position of said member, and means for permitting radial movement of said member within saidv seat.l

8. In a fuel feeding mechanismfor gas producers, a rotatable charging member, a supporting means therefor providing sealing edges above the Vaxis of rotation of said member, and meansffor permitting radial movement, of saidy member Within said sup- -porting means.

9. In a fuel 'feeding mechanism for gas producers, a rotatable charging member, a eupporting means therefor providing sealing edges above the axis of rotation ot' said 15 member, one of said ledges. adapted to yield, to permit radial movement of said member, and means for guidinr said member, in its radial movement, past the other sealing edge.

Dated this ninth day of March 1916.

. CHARLES W. LUMMIS. lVit-nesees:

PENELOPE COMBERBACH, NELLIE VHALEN. i

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve oentsA each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Wlihinltll, D. c. 

